Translucent plastic compound



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN TZSCHUOKE, OF DRESDEN-STREHLEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO JULIUS HEYMANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRANSLUCENT PLASTIC COMPOUND.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 627,367, dated June 20, 1899.

Application filed May 24,1898. Serial No- 681,647 (No specimens.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN TZsoHUoKE, asubject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at DresdenStrehlen, Germany, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Translucent Plastic Compounds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved translucent plastic compound adapted to be cast into various forms, as for making handles for canes or umbrellas and other articles, surgical splints or dressings, translucent or semitransparent panels for decorative .purposes, and as material for the manufacture of many different articles. The compound is also adapted to be used for the impregnation or saturation of woven fabrics to be employed as floor-coverin gs, tapestry, and for other purposes to give body to the same and may also be used in the preparation of material for the manufacture of pocket-books and other articles.

My improved plastic compound or paste is composed of glue, white chalk or burnt gypsum, alum or chrome-alum, magnesium sulfate, anilin or water-color, glycerin, oil, (prefably linseed-oil,) alcohol or its homologues, and water in about the proportions hereinafter specified.

In preparing the compound I steep about one thousand parts of glue in, say, fifteen hundred parts of cold water for about twentyfour hours. While the glue is dissolving I prepare a milk of chalk or gypsum by adding to four hundred parts of warm water from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty parts of finely-powdered and sifted white chalk or burnt gypsum (or a mixture of equal parts of each) and stirring, allowing the sediment to settle and carefully drawing off the supernatant milk. I also separately dissolve from five to twenty parts of alum or chrome-alum in, say, thirty parts of warm water, also about ten parts of magnesium sulfate in thirty parts of warmwater, and also about three to five parts of anilin or water-color in about thirty parts of warm water. The above-named separately-made preparations of glue, chalk or gypsum, alum, magnesium sulfate, and anilin or water-color (or other suitable coloring) are then mixed and thoroughly stirred. To

ture is still hot, however, it may be poured into heated molds suitable to the casting of the material into various forms for the manufacture of any desired articles to which the compound may be adapted.

The molds may be made of iron, plaster-ofparis, or any suitable material and may be constructed in one or more parts, as required, the several mold parts to be jointed and locked in any appropriate manner. Before using the molds they should be well cleaned by means of an oil containing no animal fat, so that the casting may be readily detached from the mold-walls. Immediately after pouring the plastic compound into the mold the latter should be dipped into water as coldas may be and left there until the casting solidifies, which it will do in a few minutes. The cast or casting is left in the mold until it is dry. After removal from the mold the casting is practically ready for use, but may be subjected to such further treatment as may answer the particular purpose for which the object cast is intended. For instance, pictures or medallions may be formed in a plate, tablet, or screen cast from the translucent or semitransparentplastic compound, and finally the complete article may be coated with a varnish preferably made by dissolving bleached encies or diaphanous picturescreens may be variously used in decorating windows, bullseyes, lamp-shades, and the like, or articles of a differentclass, such as handles and knobs for canes and umbrellas, maybe made by the same method, and so constitute admirable imitations of similar articles made from ivory, celluloid, vulcanized rubber, porcelain, and other materials.

The translucent or semitransparent paste compound may be cast in flat shape, as well as other forms, and thus plates of any desirable thickness and flexibility may be utilized for a variety of purposes, among which surgical dressings may be mentioned, and these can be prepared in any shape or contour desired.

This new compoundis non-inflammable and may be manufactured at low cost, since the ingredients entering into its composition are comparatively inexpensive, while any chips, shavings, and waste generally that may be produced in the course of its treatment may be remelted and utilized overand over again. If it is desired to impart a vitreous appearance to the compound, fifty grams of alcohol should be used for every kilogram of glue, while if a very plastic, flexible, and unbreakable material be desired a greater proportion of glycerin should be employed.

The method of manufacturing the various articles which the novel compound is adapted to form is very simple, as the compound may readily be cast in molds and need not be forced into the desired shape by any high degree of pressure, nor does its use involve the necessity for employment of any complicated and expensive machinery or hand labor. If desired, however, the mixture or paste can of course be pressed into molds instead of being cast or run into them in a liquid or semiliquid state.

If desired, the compound while yet liquid can be used to impregnate woven materials such as gauze, linen, cotton cloth or canvas, jute, dsc.and the product may be printed on or be stamped, embossed, or otherwise embellished. Such fabrics may be varnished or sized and are adapted for the manufacture of floor-coverings, tapestry, 850., and for various other purposes.

It may be sometimes advisable to add to the com pound a suitable proportion of potassium bichromate, which has the property of rendering gelatinous compounds impervious to moisture after they have been exposed to the light and are dry.

This translucent compound is also adapted to be used for the impregnation or saturation of woven fabrics, such as wire-cloth or the like, to be used for skylights, &c., instead of glass.

In making a compound for saturation of woven fabrics the white chalk or burnt gypsym can be replaced by finely-ground leather, thus utilizing chips or shavings of waste leather, that are usually thrown away.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The herein described composition of matter consisting of glue, chalk or gypsum, alum, magnesium sulfate, coloring matter, glycerin, oil, alcohol, and water, substantial y as and for the purposes specified.

2. The herein-described process for the manufacture of a translucent plastic compound, which consists in preparing a milk of chalk or gypsum, and separate solutions of glue, alum, magnesium sulfate, and coloring-matter, mixing and stirring these preparations, then adding glycerin, oil, and alcohol, again stirring, then straining or filtering the mixture, then heating to near the boilingpoint, and cooling slowly, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I'IERMANN TZSOIIUCKE. \Vitnesses:

HERNANDO DE So'ro, PAUL AREAS. 

